


turn over, safe and sound here in our world

by decadencethief



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, just cute boys being soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26999851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decadencethief/pseuds/decadencethief
Summary: Zagreus is picking up a new skill, and Than is more than pleased about it.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 428





	turn over, safe and sound here in our world

Thanatos lies sprawled in Zagreus’ bed, tangled in the red-and-black silk of his sheets.

One arm’s thrown across his face to ward off the light, and his hair is a pool of silver spilling through the crook of his elbow. His chest rises and falls slowly, at an even pace, and Zag finds himself matching it without meaning to.

He tries not to stare, he really does, but there’s only so much he can do against the pull of Than’s presence.

Zag wills his eyes to turn away.

He’s been learning new things about Than, recently, and relearning ones that he had forgotten. He catalogues them with more care than he does any of the discoveries about his father’s realm. Tucks them close to his heart, beneath the pierced butterfly brooch that he never takes off.

Death Incarnate is as heavy a sleeper as he was when they were little, and his punctuality disappears as soon as he needs to get out of bed. His lips are silk-soft and sweeter than any pomegranate. He likes to wrap around Zag while he sleeps, bury his face against the back of his neck. His hands and feet are perpetually cold.

Zag’s still getting used to this — getting used to  _ them _ — but he’s yet to find an aspect of Thanatos that he doesn’t find utterly  _ adorable. _

He sighs to himself, running his fingers across the strings of his lyre. The sound that comes out is gentle, soft. He’s been getting better at coaxing harmonies from the instrument, under Orpheus’ skilful guidance. It feels nice to pick up more skills that don’t involve blood and gore. The sting in his fingertips after a long time spent practicing reminds him of the accomplished ache of bruises after a good sparring session. 

Sometimes, Thanatos kisses the pain away.

A melody’s flitting around Zag’s mind. It’s not one he’s heard before, as far as he can tell, but he imagines the lift and fall, the slow sway of things falling apart and coming back together. He positions his hands on the instrument the way he was taught and tries to pull the melody into existence.

It takes him a couple of tries. A wrong pluck here and there make him worry he’ll wake up Than, but he doesn’t stir. 

Eventually, it clicks. It’s a simple enough melody, so he turns it around in his mind, adds depth to it, speeds it up, then slows it back down until it settles into the gentle, languid rhythm of a lullaby. It brings to his mind a belonging, a comfort, the feeling of delicate fingers tracing patterns on his skin.

“What are you playing?”

Zag startles, turning to meet a pair of golden eyes slowly blinking at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“No need to apologise.” Than smiles. His voice is warm and thick with sleep. He’s rolled to his side to look at Zag, and the blanket pools around his midriff. “Is Orpheus teaching you a new song?”

“Ah,” Zag thinks he can feel his cheeks heating up, “No, no. It’s something I came up with. I’m just experimenting.”

That seems to chase some of the drowsiness from Thanatos’ face. “It’s… beautiful, Zag.”

Now he’s definitely blushing. “You really think so?”

“I do. You never cease to impress me with your skill, it seems.” 

He slips out of bed, taking the blanket with him, and tiptoes to the corner Zag’s sat in. He drops down next to him with the poise of a king claiming his throne and not a heap of pillows on the floor. His arms snake around Zag’s waist, cool fingers settling on his abdomen, and Zag’s breath catches.

Than rests his chin on his shoulder. “Play me some more of it.”

“Anything for you,” Zag murmurs. Than’s warmth against his back and the tickle of soft hair on his neck are giving him new ideas about where to take his little song. It may not be very good, but that doesn’t matter if Than enjoys it.

He’s starting to understand what Orpheus means about muses.

He starts over from the beginning. Within minutes, Thanatos’ breath evens out and he nestles more tightly against Zag’s side.  It won’t be long before he's up again, rushing to his responsibilities. 

For now, Zagreus keeps playing his own lullaby to him and lets him sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i have been obsessed with hades since it came out of early access, so i just needed to try to put my love for these two on the page. thank you supergiant for once again delivering a phenomenal game and letting me flirt with death incarnate.
> 
> if you like my work and want to look at all the thanzag art i retweet, you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/decadencethief)! that's also where i post about my own greek mythology inspired visual novel project, six pomegranate seeds.
> 
> title from warm blood by flor.
> 
> thank you for reading! <3


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